PR Leon Anderson had faced supply charges after a story in The Sun newspaper said he did a £300 drug deal.

Quinn Hawkins, prosecuting, said: “As My Lord knows, having presided over the Contostavlos case, the position is that Mazher Mahmood gave evidence on two occasions in that case which tended to contradict itself.”

Judge McCreath replied: “Just a bit, yes.”

Mr Hawkins added: “The position is that the Crown can no longer rely on Mr Mahmood as a witness of truth in this case, and for that reason, I offer no evidence against Mr Gordon on behalf of the Crown.”